Yes, I do. I learned to knit and purl with minimal instruction. I got to the point that I could make my father and brother golf club covers because they were essentially mittens without a thumb and I didn’t learn to make a thumb. This post is for my one and only brother.
Petit point was easy but not very relaxing. I recently found a complicated one I started years ago but with arthritis, it’s not comforting either.
Mom didn’t really want me in her kitchen, underfoot, so I learned to cook through books and Gourmet magazine. After college I got a job, a big step up, and hated it. I quit the job and spent my life savings on cooking school, the best time at school I ever had. No, I’m not a chef, I’m a good cook.
Owning a pet. Been there 27 years and still going. Learned about cats from a book. My sister sent my brother east from CA with a five week-old cat, a Burmese mix, who never let me get a word in edgewise for 13 years. Dogs, I thought I knew. My first was abused by a deputy sheriff and in a shelter where I visited her for a year. When euthanasia was mentioned as she was becoming a danger to men and children (kids used to throw rocks over the fence at her) I took her home, rehabilitated her and she was so loved in our neighborhood they took up a collection and donated a tree to the city for our park, in her memory.
Our current dog was another rescue. We adopted her at six weeks and she turns 13 years old this weekend. We’re having a party for her and her human and canine friends.
Today is our 14th wedding anniversary. My husband is away on business but I’ll make his favorite stew this weekend. He got me a multi-purpose slow cooker I need to try. I bought flowers that will remind us of the places we’ve been together. Yes, he’s still the “human tornado” that makes a mess everywhere he goes and never puts anything away. After over 15 years I’m happy he puts down the toilet seat, even though changing a roll of toilet paper is beyond the realm of capability.
Utah, 30 years ago. Snowbird, 12,000 feet and air so thin one cannot get enough of it. My little brother says, “no, you don’t need lessons. I’ll teach you!” He did come and save me.
Four times down the bunny slope, two on the bottom half of Big Emma. Then he brought me up to the top and left me in a big bowl. I didn’t know how to turn (schuss) to reduce my speed so I just snowplowed at 100 mph then sat down and cried. I did that a few times and he took the lift back up and came and got me. My legs hurt from snowplowing for a week! He just told me tonight that my father sat down and cried as well. So much for brotherly “lessons.” God rest you, Dad.
My dear husband decided to create a blog for me a number of years ago. I was terrified. What if I couldn’t write or find anything to write about. The first blog I wrote was the most popular of all time, How to Eat a Concord Grape. I’ve thousands of visitors to this niche blog and have met some good friends through it. Thank you, dear! This was a “seat of the pants” thing I just had to do on my own. It has helped my writing and storytelling skills. Thanks to AL&J, retired English teachers, as well.
I remembered what I used to do when first confronted with a computer. I wrote down the 4-5 themes I had to hit in a white paper or speech, or legislation, wrote them down on a piece of paper, and got to work. Once a blank page or screen was not an issue, the words flowed.
The lesson here is sometimes one needs a lesson, like hurtling down a mountain faster than your car can drive. With a proper education, others are just a natural extension of current abilities. Older and wiser, I try to learn something new every day as each day offers new possibilities. Right now I’m into art, framing and flower arranging. The arthritis brings limitations but they’re only physical. Courage, ambition to be the best “me,” selflessness, kindness to others all help. Carpe diem, Dee
Cooking with Dee 